ANSWERING YOUR BAY AREA TV/RADIO/INTERNET QUESTIONS...a few new rules: please, name and city. NO fake names. If you want to remain anonymous, fine, but enough of the past. Thanks. Some questions will not be used due to space and time, sorry.
I see Andre Senior has been on the 10pm news on KTVU this week without saying "in for Frank." Is he the permanent replacement? If so, I'm good with that.
They haven't been saying "In for Frank" for more than a week and a half, as I pointed out, so it has nothing to do with Andre Senior. KTVU has NOT decided on a replacement yet. Last week other anchors were saying the same thing. Next week Mibach is scheduled to do the 10...unless Amber changes what's left of her mind between now and then.
They don't want to appoint a replacement because that means a promotion for *someone* and it's cheaper for them if they just keep limping along. I wouldn't be surprised if they never appoint someone at all, and just keep juggling people. Cheaper that way, and easier to keep the inmates in line.
Hi Chris, the latest is he's seeking help up north but for how long, I don't know. It's up to Frank at this point. As for his replacement, looks like Mike Mibach is the leader.
Mitchell from Piedmont. Nothing from Rich, but my thoughts:
Starrantino - A wax mannequin "journalist" who probably couldn't pass a test to get into the 6th grade. And I can't figure out if *any* of her is real.
Yamamoto - somewhere in Fresno, a Pandra Express is looking for a new short order cook.
No, not in this environment. The old KGO, KSFO, KNBR are just fiddling away, The days of vintage radio are over. They've destroyed radio as we know it and it's not just Cumulus now.
Hi Rich, did you ever go to Bertola's on Telegraph Ave in the old days, us kids from Skyline used to go there and they served us booze even though none of us were even 18, think it was 50 cents for a drink, 75 for a double. Good cheap food also, side of spaghetti with everything.
My dad took me there in the mid 70's and I remember the soup was not very warm and the chicken was barely hot but I heard stories about the CAL students who wanted a cheap high --so they drank at Bertola's --yeah for like 50 cents a shot and a buck for a double. What a bargain, even in those days, thanks KC for the memorories
KCBS is a total mess. Incompetent people who don't know how to run a radio station and mostly lousy, awful, incompetent anchors and reporters who have destroyed a heritage station. KCBS is pretty much unlistenable now.
I see so much editorializing in news today it pisses me off. Anchors making sad faces and describing every single thing as a "tragedy." Taking sides of who's good and who's bad. This isn't journalism. But anything to win viewers. The irony is this is actually driving them away.
She can do that but she couldn't do a newscast at KPIX, where she probably had more people able to help with the details and do more of her job for her than she does now.
No loss to PIX, though. Between her and Starrantino and that Katie Nielsen and several others, their ex-ND really could pick 'em, the pervert.
Don, it's a TOTAL GIMMICK. I don't need to hear Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles, I can go to YouTube and hear them on my time and that's the essence of "Dave FM."
Isn't DaveFM just a reboot of a similar concept from years ago? I seem to recall the big thing 5-10 years ago was a host-free radio station which was basically someone pressing play on their ipod.
They don't make the kind of money they made in the past largely due to a decrease in viewers. The STARS, say a big market like NY, LA, Philly, Chicago, still do pretty well but even those salaries are way down.
Reporters are not paid min wage, they get Saf/Aftra scale but they too don't get the big bucks, newly hired.
Thanks for that endorsement ( I think) --as for your question, I like the BBC but it's always slanted for a point of view I'm not always happy with --including their Middle East point of view.
Rich, first off, love your site. Must read daily! You had mentioned some time back a major news story that you couldn't comment on just yet (that you could be sued if you did) and were surprised it was not being picked up by the major local investigative media. I think it involved corruption. Did it ever break? Keep up the great work!
No not yet. It's a story that every major media outlet in the Bay Area has but won't report out of fear of being sued. I'm being deliberately vague over the subject matter and person involved but I'm close to reporting on it, just have to make sure everything is OK and there's truth to it all.
Well Rich, there you have it. The SCOTUS just ruled in favor of Big Corporations over the health and safety of their fellow citizens. The SCTOUS, as I am sure you just read, blocked the Biden vaccine mandate for large businesses, but allowed it for health care workers (gee, how humane of them). SMH...
The Bay Area has always been home to a large population with Irish heritage. As I watch the local news from Ch 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, and 11, it would seem that group is woefully under represented. Am I wrong, and if so, which station has addressed this oversight?
I don't think it's a matter of whether you're right or wrong, I think it's something that I've never really thought about, but I will and try to let you know.
2:30 PM---I guess they don't count Irish and Italians as boxes that need to be checked. Kyla Grogan, a nice Irish lass, and now they've sent her packing. Is there no future for the Irish? sigh...
Because you're a scholar who can parse the deliberately vague Constitution. You've probably never even read anything in it besides the Second Amendment, and even then you probably overlooked the words "A well-regulated militia..."
Why in the world did KTVU get rid of Kyla Grogan and replace her with the terrible Roberta Gonzales? At least Kyla was easy on the eyes. Roberta looks like a modern day Charo.
Also, what's up with the audio (volume) on KTVU Plus news at 7pm? It goes from barely audible to blow out your speakers loud. Is it interns running the show at 7pm?
The Roberta G decision was of a desperate station (like KTVU) in need and she was desperate herself...KTVUPlus (36) sounds crappy, you're right and a sloppy operation.
Kyla's leaving was the result of Affirmative Action. Amber and the suits wanted someone "of color" from the beginning, so they weren't going to hire Kyla FT, she was just there to bridge the gap. After two years no PoCs applied, so when Kyla got sick of being asked to the ball but never being allowed to dance she left, they jumped on Roberta because she's from el barrio. Kyla will land on her feet...she's too good not to...but the PoCs won't, which is why they need great white mommas like Amber (and in the larger metropolis Libby Schaaf) to help them, so they can feel like they did it themselves.
Is ConsumerTalk with Michael Finney gone for good from KGO810 (Saturdays)? It was really the only thing I still listened to on that station other than Pat Thurston on occasion. I guess I was the only one. :(
What is the over/under on how many times johnny lund says "like you said,in case you missed it,your friendly caboose pistol" in one day vs. Johnny rothmann saying "I want to know you feel,415 80 80 810,you understand,its the democratic party,not the democrat party,three cheers for you,and why aren't you wearing a mask?
I used to really enjoy watching the news. It's difficult to do it now. It used to be you would have an entire newscast of different stories. Now it seems like they have a couple stories and then they repeat them like KCBS. Another reason is the constant turn over of reporters and anchors. For a market as big as ours we should be able to get quality and hold on to it. Now we are just a pass through. Not really a question Rich. More of a comment
Rich: News stations across the country do not sound as "tight" as they used to because they have done away with technical directors/board operators and on air producers that were there to assist the newscasters. WINS 1010 (the gold standard) is not the station it was 10 years ago - just listen online. You call KCBS unlistenable,but they averaged 767,000 listners per week in December. Not bad for the Holidays when "Rudolph" rules the airwaves.
Checked out Yamamoto at length tonight, and he was doing a story about how SaRAN SaRAN (as in Saran Wrap) was denied parole. Mind you, my last president was RFK, so fuck him, but not knowing how to properly pronounce SEER-hahn really grated, as much as "The 101" or "San Rah-Fye-EL" or other newbie auslander mistakes would. It's an indicator. He seems pretty lightweight. Oh, right... his first name is Ryan. Different generation.
He makes Paul Heggen seem downright charismatic. Add the new sports guy, and it's becoming downright unwatchable. Despite Liz.
I saw that too, Saran Saran pronouncing. Just wrong, where did he get his experience??? Kenny Choi can run circles around Ryan!! Is that why Liz is not on set with him???
"sirhan,Sirhan" can easily be prounounded "Sa-ran, Sa-ran"..no biggie..The story that Newsom did the political and not the appropriate thing is the news part.
No biggie in itself, true, but I said it was an indicator.
As for Sirhan... RFK was the last hope for this country. Newsom - who wasn't even a year old when RFK was shot - gets it, and made the right call. Sirhan can rot in jail... as he already is. How does one bargain down the permanent effect of a catastrophe that changed the future of a nation and a world? What, because the guy is old now? Originally he wasn't supposed to be.
I see Andre Senior has been on the 10pm news on KTVU this week without saying "in for Frank." Is he the permanent replacement? If so, I'm good with that.
ReplyDeleteYou just nailed it.
DeleteThey haven't been saying "In for Frank" for more than a week and a half, as I pointed out, so it has nothing to do with Andre Senior. KTVU has NOT decided on a replacement yet. Last week other anchors were saying the same thing. Next week Mibach is scheduled to do the 10...unless Amber changes what's left of her mind between now and then.
DeleteThey don't want to appoint a replacement because that means a promotion for *someone* and it's cheaper for them if they just keep limping along. I wouldn't be surprised if they never appoint someone at all, and just keep juggling people. Cheaper that way, and easier to keep the inmates in line.
I miss the daily updates on Frank Somerville, hope his mind and mostly his body is well.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon, as long as you and thousands of others are interested, I'm there for you. It's an ongoing story with Frank.
DeleteHi Rich
ReplyDeleteWhat's the word on Summerville & also who is going to replace him
Chris SSF
Hi Chris, the latest is he's seeking help up north but for how long, I don't know. It's up to Frank at this point. As for his replacement, looks like Mike Mibach is the leader.
DeleteIn the last reply, to 9:23 AM, you said Senior was the replacement. Make up your mind.
DeleteWhat are the chances of Kyla Grogan popping up on another bay area station? My wife and I loved her weather reports and personality, she is missed.
ReplyDeleteShe's gone her way to NBC and she's quite happy. KTVU blew it like they always do it now.
DeleteLarry Lake San Leandro
ReplyDeleteRich any chance of legacy radio returning to the bay ?
Rich,
ReplyDeleteLots of new faces on the Local News. thoughts on
Starrantino -- kpix
Yamamoto -- kpix
Asistio -- kntv
Mitchell from Piedmont. Nothing from Rich, but my thoughts:
DeleteStarrantino - A wax mannequin "journalist" who probably couldn't pass a test to get into the 6th grade. And I can't figure out if *any* of her is real.
Yamamoto - somewhere in Fresno, a Pandra Express is looking for a new short order cook.
Asistio - Who?
No, not in this environment. The old KGO, KSFO, KNBR are just fiddling away, The days of vintage radio are over. They've destroyed radio as we know it and it's not just Cumulus now.
ReplyDeleteI agree turned to sinus xm. You have to pay but it is so much better. You can get on line too.
DeleteHi Rich, did you ever go to Bertola's on Telegraph Ave in the old days, us kids from Skyline used to go there and they served us booze even though none of us were even 18, think it was 50 cents for a drink, 75 for a double. Good cheap food also, side of spaghetti with everything.
ReplyDeleteKC in Walnut Creek
My dad took me there in the mid 70's and I remember the soup was not very warm and the chicken was barely hot but I heard stories about the CAL students who wanted a cheap high --so they drank at Bertola's --yeah for like 50 cents a shot and a buck for a double. What a bargain, even in those days, thanks KC for the memorories
DeleteI figured you might have gone there...good times!
DeleteKC
Hi Rich,
ReplyDeleteIs there any hope for KCBS? This must be one of the most unorganized stations in the county.
East Bay Follower...
KCBS is a total mess. Incompetent people who don't know how to run a radio station and mostly lousy, awful, incompetent anchors and reporters who have destroyed a heritage station. KCBS is pretty much unlistenable now.
DeleteAny truth to rumors about Noelle Bellow being promoted to Weekdays if KRON adds a Noon newscast?
ReplyDeleteShe's a decent anchor and I'm sure they're looking for a spot for her.
DeleteHi Rich,
ReplyDeleteJust saw this on KTVU website...
Antioch hit and run kills 'good person'
as apposed to a bad, great or just ok person. Is it just me or is this kind of weird headline?
EB Here and there.
No, EB, it' called crummy people working on the cheap and KTVU (Fox) is clearly going that route. You get what you pay for.
DeleteNo, it's not weird. 'Good person' is in quotes, and they took this from someone they interviewed. This is frequently done in a headline.
DeleteIf it was in quotes yeah, well of course, I was not aware of that.
DeleteI see so much editorializing in news today it pisses me off. Anchors making sad faces and describing every single thing as a "tragedy." Taking sides of who's good and who's bad. This isn't journalism. But anything to win viewers. The irony is this is actually driving them away.
DeleteDennis O'Donnell update
ReplyDeleteGary
San Francisco
I'll be writing more more, soon, Gary, but I do know it's medical-related --don't know the severity but heard quite a bit.
DeleteVeronica De La Cruz what is she doing??
ReplyDeleteDennis
Alviso
Working on some fourth-tier network, Newsy. That's all I know.
DeleteShe is streaming in the morning on Newsy from her home studio. its like a cut rate nightbeat.
DeleteShe can do that but she couldn't do a newscast at KPIX, where she probably had more people able to help with the details and do more of her job for her than she does now.
DeleteNo loss to PIX, though. Between her and Starrantino and that Katie Nielsen and several others, their ex-ND really could pick 'em, the pervert.
What's the deal with Dave FM??
ReplyDeleteDon
Sausalito
Don, it's a TOTAL GIMMICK. I don't need to hear Fleetwood Mac and the Eagles, I can go to YouTube and hear them on my time and that's the essence of "Dave FM."
DeleteNext.
Dave-FM is a ripoff of a failed concept, Jack-FM. Failed then, will fail now.
DeleteWhat is the identity of KOFY TV20? There does not seem to be any direction
ReplyDeleteJames
San Francisco
I agree, James, I'm hoping they go back to more dogs doing the IDs and then some.
DeleteIsn't DaveFM just a reboot of a similar concept from years ago? I seem to recall the big thing 5-10 years ago was a host-free radio station which was basically someone pressing play on their ipod.
DeleteYou got it.
DeleteMore Nanci Ortiz on KOFY would be nice too!
DeleteWonder what their ratings are? Some of their "local" programming doesn't seem to draw much of an audience!
So what is ABC7 doing with it weather people. Tuma in the morning. Nicco in the afternoons and Christian to the weekends?
ReplyDeleteThey love their weather folks, do they every and there's a problem in that thinking --among other things.
DeleteWhat are the salaries of Bay Area anchors and reporters? Are new hired anchors and reporters paid minimal wages?
ReplyDeleteGeorge in Daly City
They don't make the kind of money they made in the past largely due to a decrease in viewers. The STARS, say a big market like NY, LA, Philly, Chicago, still do pretty well but even those salaries are way down.
DeleteReporters are not paid min wage, they get Saf/Aftra scale but they too don't get the big bucks, newly hired.
Hi Rich,
ReplyDeleteWhat world news station do you think is the most biased?
You have the greatest blog in the Bay Area...
Aging East Bayer
Thanks for that endorsement ( I think) --as for your question, I like the BBC but it's always slanted for a point of view I'm not always happy with --including their Middle East point of view.
DeleteThe BBC is about as straight as you can go. Try CNN or MSNBC or FOX or (if you consider them a news station) OAN or Newsmax.
DeleteRich, first off, love your site. Must read daily! You had mentioned some time back a major news story that you couldn't comment on just yet (that you could be sued if you did) and were surprised it was not being picked up by the major local investigative media. I think it involved corruption. Did it ever break? Keep up the great work!
ReplyDeleteNo not yet. It's a story that every major media outlet in the Bay Area has but won't report out of fear of being sued. I'm being deliberately vague over the subject matter and person involved but I'm close to reporting on it, just have to make sure everything is OK and there's truth to it all.
DeleteThanks for your support.
Appreciate you Rich!
DeleteWell Rich, there you have it. The SCOTUS just ruled in favor of Big Corporations over the health and safety of their fellow citizens. The SCTOUS, as I am sure you just read, blocked the Biden vaccine mandate for large businesses, but allowed it for health care workers (gee, how humane of them). SMH...
ReplyDeleteRay - Santa Clara
Yeah Ray, indeed, but I'll stick to the media questions for now.
DeleteThe Bay Area has always been home to a large population with Irish heritage. As I watch the local news from Ch 2, 4, 5, 7, 9, and 11, it would seem that group is woefully under represented.
ReplyDeleteAm I wrong, and if so, which station has addressed this oversight?
I don't think it's a matter of whether you're right or wrong, I think it's something that I've never really thought about, but I will and try to let you know.
DeleteSame with Italians. They basically built some of these huge cities...nothing.
Delete2:30 PM---I guess they don't count Irish and Italians as boxes that need to be checked.
DeleteKyla Grogan, a nice Irish lass, and now they've sent her packing. Is there no future for the Irish? sigh...
When the Greeks invented Modern Democracy all you were swigging on tree branches.
DeleteOh my God! The Supreme Court did something unusual and followed the Constitution and the law instead of feelings. The horror!
ReplyDeleteBecause you're a scholar who can parse the deliberately vague Constitution. You've probably never even read anything in it besides the Second Amendment, and even then you probably overlooked the words "A well-regulated militia..."
DeleteHi Rich -
ReplyDelete2 questions for you.
Why in the world did KTVU get rid of Kyla Grogan and replace her with the terrible Roberta Gonzales? At least Kyla was easy on the eyes. Roberta looks like a modern day Charo.
Also, what's up with the audio (volume) on KTVU Plus news at 7pm? It goes from barely audible to blow out your speakers loud. Is it interns running the show at 7pm?
Thanks.
JH in SJ
The Roberta G decision was of a desperate station (like KTVU) in need and she was desperate herself...KTVUPlus (36) sounds crappy, you're right and a sloppy operation.
DeleteKyla's leaving was the result of Affirmative Action. Amber and the suits wanted someone "of color" from the beginning, so they weren't going to hire Kyla FT, she was just there to bridge the gap. After two years no PoCs applied, so when Kyla got sick of being asked to the ball but never being allowed to dance she left, they jumped on Roberta because she's from el barrio. Kyla will land on her feet...she's too good not to...but the PoCs won't, which is why they need great white mommas like Amber (and in the larger metropolis Libby Schaaf) to help them, so they can feel like they did it themselves.
DeleteIs ConsumerTalk with Michael Finney gone for good from KGO810 (Saturdays)? It was really the only thing I still listened to on that station other than Pat Thurston on occasion. I guess I was the only one. :(
ReplyDeleteNot to my knowledge --I haven't listened much to his show on Saturday but he's only option on that day, so if he's gone so is KGO.
DeleteMichael and his producer were let go as part of the December budget cuts.
DeleteWhat is the over/under on how many times johnny lund says "like you said,in case you missed it,your friendly caboose pistol" in one day vs. Johnny rothmann saying "I want to know you feel,415 80 80 810,you understand,its the democratic party,not the democrat party,three cheers for you,and why aren't you wearing a mask?
ReplyDeletetake the overx1200. On all.
DeleteI used to really enjoy watching the news. It's difficult to do it now. It used to be you would have an entire newscast of different stories. Now it seems like they have a couple stories and then they repeat them like KCBS. Another reason is the constant turn over of reporters and anchors. For a market as big as ours we should be able to get quality and hold on to it. Now we are just a pass through. Not really a question Rich. More of a comment
ReplyDeleteRich: News stations across the country do not sound as "tight" as they used to because they have done away with technical directors/board operators and on air producers that were there to assist the newscasters. WINS 1010 (the gold standard) is not the station it was 10 years ago - just listen online. You call KCBS unlistenable,but they averaged 767,000 listners per week in December. Not bad for the Holidays when "Rudolph" rules the airwaves.
ReplyDeleteChecked out Yamamoto at length tonight, and he was doing a story about how SaRAN SaRAN (as in Saran Wrap) was denied parole. Mind you, my last president was RFK, so fuck him, but not knowing how to properly pronounce SEER-hahn really grated, as much as "The 101" or "San Rah-Fye-EL" or other newbie auslander mistakes would. It's an indicator. He seems pretty lightweight. Oh, right... his first name is Ryan. Different generation.
ReplyDeleteHe makes Paul Heggen seem downright charismatic. Add the new sports guy, and it's becoming downright unwatchable. Despite Liz.
If you cant put the ND to sleep you can get hired at PIX
DeleteI saw that too, Saran Saran pronouncing. Just wrong, where did he get his experience??? Kenny Choi can run circles around Ryan!! Is that why Liz is not on set with him???
Delete"sirhan,Sirhan" can easily be prounounded "Sa-ran, Sa-ran"..no biggie..The story that Newsom did the political and not the appropriate thing is the news part.
ReplyDeleteNo biggie in itself, true, but I said it was an indicator.
DeleteAs for Sirhan... RFK was the last hope for this country. Newsom - who wasn't even a year old when RFK was shot - gets it, and made the right call. Sirhan can rot in jail... as he already is. How does one bargain down the permanent effect of a catastrophe that changed the future of a nation and a world? What, because the guy is old now? Originally he wasn't supposed to be.
I agree, I loved RFK compassion and was as tough as nails as a Attorney General going after the mafia.
Delete